Olympicene is an allotrope of carbon with a hexagonal lattice. It was first synthesized in 2010 by a team of Japanese and American scientists. The research was led by Smalley at Rice University and Wasaka at Tohoku University. Olympicene is one of the few known examples of a molecule with pentagonal symmetry.
The name “olympicene” pays homage to the five-ringed Olympic symbol, as each atom in the molecule can be considered a ring. The molecule can also be seen as two interlinked benzene rings (C6H6). However, unlike benzene, which has alternating double and single bonds between its carbon atoms, olympicene has all double bonds. This gives the molecule unusual stability and makes it resistant to oxidation.
The discovery of olympicene could lead to new developments in the field of organic electronics. Because of its stability and unique structure, olympicene could be used to create novel materials for use in solar cells or LEDS. Additionally, because olympicene is made entirely out of carbon atoms, it could be used to create graphene-based devices on an atomic scale.